Vatican to offer haircuts, shaves as well as showers to Rome's homeless

VATICAN CITY, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The Vatican will offer
homeless people in Rome not only showers but also haircuts and
shaves when new facilities open next month, the head of Pope
Francis' charity office said.

The Vatican announced last year that it would provide shower
facilities in St Peter's Square for homeless people.

Bishop Konrad Krajewski told the Italian Catholic newspaper
Avvenire on Thursday that it would also offer haircuts and
shaves when the services start on Feb. 16 in an area under the
colonnade of the square.

Krajewski, whose official title is the pope's almoner, said
barbers and hairdressers would volunteer their services on
Mondays, the day their shops are traditionally closed in Italy.

They had already donated chairs, hair-cutting instruments,
and mirrors, the newspaper's website said.

Krajewski came up with the idea of building showers in St.
Peter's Square last year after a homeless person told him that
while it was relatively easy to find places to eat at Rome
charities, it was difficult to find places to wash.

He immediately received the pope's backing for the shower
project and then expanded it to include haircuts and shaves.
(Reporting By Philip Pullella; Editing by Susan Fenton)